Not in a Friend Way
by sapphicartsandwriting
Summary: Ororo reflects on Kitty and Rachel's relationship. Oneshot. For X-Men Femslash Week.


This is really rough and I'm not super proud of the way I did it but I love the concept. A third party's views on a relationship, I think, could be a really interesting way to learn more about the characters.

Anyway, I hope this is ok. Enjoy!

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Ororo shivered as she stepped out of the Blackbird and into the cool night air. She rubbed her bare arms in an effort to warm them up, but eventually she got tired and them fall to her side. Crickets chirped around her and birds called out their serene cries, but she paid them little mind as she stared up at the moon. Instead, her ears fell upon the sound of Kitty snoring inside the jet.

Before they left for this newest mission, Rachel approached Ororo privately and asked, "Will it be dangerous?"

Ororo thought for a few moments before replying, "We should be fine. We've handled worse."

"But… you aren't sure, are you," she said, ending it as a statement rather than as a question.

Ororo shook her head. "No, dear. I am not. I never am. We lead dangerous lives, and you know it."

"Yeah, but…"

"You wish you could come, is that right?"

Rachel nodded somberly, and Ororo continued, "I'm sorry, but you are needed here. You know this."

"Yeah, but…"

Ororo gave her a sideways glance. "I get the feeling that it is not me you are worried about. It's Kitty, isn't it?"

"I mean, she's my best friend, of course - "

Ororo shook her head. "You and I both know that's not quite true. She is more than that. You love her, and not in a friend way."

Rachel's face displayed a mixture of shock, confusion, and embarrassment. Ororo responded with a tinkling laugh. "I don't have to be a telepath to know these things, Rachel. I was young once. I remember what it's like."

She didn't. When she was their age, she was too focused on surviving to care about these things. But she could imagine.

She saw how Rachel looked at Kitty when she talked and laughed. She saw how she hugged her like she never wanted to let go. She saw those wistful glances, those sad smiles, those loving touches.

Rachel was in love with Kitty. Madly in love. And Kitty felt the same way.

She saw Kitty blush as Rachel pushed a strand of hair out of Kitty's face. She saw her wide-eyed stares when Rachel was standing across the room. She saw how jealous Kitty got when a guy showed interest in Rachel, but she wasn't jealous of Rachel, even though that was what she claimed. No, she was jealous of him.

The funny thing was, it was so obvious. Everyone knew that they liked each other besides each other. In fact, Logan and Kurt had a bet going to see who would confess first.

Ororo, though, often wondered if she should intervene, tell Kitty that Rachel felt the same way. Would it help them at all?

No, Ororo thought. It probably wouldn't. They needed to work this out on their own.

Rachel's cheeks were almost as red as her hair at this point. "Please, Ororo. Keep her safe."

There were many things she could have replied with, but she just nodded and said, "I promise, Rachel. I give my word."

The sound of Kitty stirring in her sleep forced Ororo's mind buck to the present. She turned and peered back through the door to see if the girl had woken up and stepped back into the ship to get a closer look.

No, she was still fast asleep, but she had wiggled out from her sleeping bag and was now lying on the cold, bare floor.

Ororo gently picked the girl up and put her back onto the makeshift bed and pulled the covers up to her chin.

Kitty shuffled contentedly and Ororo sat cross-legged next to her sleeping form, running her fingers through her hair. "People care about you, Kitten. We all do. I do, Logan does, Rachel does. She cares about you a lot, more than you know. We love you, Kitten. We will always keep you safe. We promise."

She kissed her forehead and went to shut the door of the blackbird. Kitty smiled in her sleep.

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Please follow, favorite, or leave a comment if you enjoyed it and want to see more! Or come talk to me, I'm always happy to talk to someone nice!


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